TURA: The Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Western Zone (South), Ampati has sought answers as to why an already constructed market building at Ampati has not been made functional despite the fact that it was completed and inaugurated during the tenure of the previous Congress led government.
According to the union, the construction of the Ampati Integrated Farmers’ Market undertaken by the Horticulture Department has been completed a long time back and subsequently inaugurated by then Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma on December 22, 2017. However, the facility remains non-functional and unoccupied till today posing hardships to both the small time local traders and consumers alike.
In their complaint to the South West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, the union sought answers as to why the facility has been kept non-functional for so long and urged the official to take steps to open the market as earlier as possible.
“The building was constructed with the sole purpose of accommodating the local vegetable vendors from the region. And as the existing vegetable market is functioning under pitiable conditions, the same should be shifted to the building for the convenience of the people of the area,” the union said.
According to the union, due to the absence of a proper infrastructure at the old vegetable market, people who come to buy vegetables at the weekly market are facing problems on account of traffic jams, lack of parking spaces and others especially during the rainy season. With the new market building remaining unused and available now, the union feel that the inconvenience faced by the people could be eased if the market is shifted to its new location.